Bottle nursing nipple



March 26, 1963 w. J. STRAUB BOTTLE NURSING NIPPLE Filed Dec. 12, 1961 I INVENTOR.

WAurse J freAus 5 JrTaE/VEVS United States PatentOfiEice 3,082,770 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 3,082,770 BOTTLE NURSING NIPPLE Walter J. Straub, PD. Box 141, San Mateo, Calif. Filed Dec. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 158,794 6 Claims. Cl. 128252) This invention relates to improvements in nipples for nursing bottles, and more particularly to a nipple intended to simulate as nearly as possible the natural nipple configuration provided in normal breast feeding and to prevent serious malformations of the jaws heretofore caused by improper nipple shapes for bottle feeding.

A main object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle nursing nipple intended to simulate the natural conformation of the nipple in breast feeding and to prevent facial, oral or dental malformations heretofore produced by improper nursing nipples, the improved nipple being simple in construction, requiring no adjustment, and encouraging a'nursing infant to develop proper swallowing habits as well as to prevent orthodontic defor-mities by encouraging the infant to advance his lower jaw forwardly in grasping the nipple.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle nursing nipple designed to prevent orthodontic deformities as well as to prevent the formation of improper swallowing habits by a nursing infant, the nipple being inexpensive to fabricate, being durable in construction, and being arranged so that an infant will obtain a complete seal thereagainst, whereby the infant is prevented from swallowing air along with the liquid from the associated nursing bottle, thus preventing colic.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved nipple for nursing bottles, said nipple being arranged to simulate the natural nipple configuration provided by normal breast feeding, being arranged to develop proper swallowing habits in a nursing child, being designed so that the child will obtain an even flow of milk without any spilling or regurgitation, and without any swallowing of air, and encouraging the child to project his lower jaw forwardly relative to his upper lip while nursing, whereby to develop the lower jaw properly and to prevent malocclusion and other orthodontic difilculties heretofore caused by improper bottle feeding.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle nursing nipple which is easy to keep in a sanitary condition, which is sufficiently reinforced at its base portion so that it cannot be readily pulled off a nursing bottle by a child, thus preventing spillage of the contents of the associated bottle, and which is suitably reinforced to maintain its shape under pressure'and which is contoured so that it fits in a natural manner in the mouth of a nursing child.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the foilowing description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an improved bottle nursing nipple constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the bottle nursing nipple of FIGURE 1, taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal cross section, of the bottle nursing nipple of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the bottle nursing nipple of FIGURES l, 2 and 3, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

. FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 2, illustrating the manner in which a nursing infant is encouraged to project his lower jaw forwardly relative to his upper lip when using the nipple.

Bottle nursing nipples currently being manufactured and distributed for feeding of infants are to a great degree responsible for many of the serious malformations of the jaws of children, requiring expensive and lengthy orthodontal treatment. One of the important factors involved in this problem is that of thumb sucking due to the ease with which a child can nurse with the relatively poorly designed and improperly structured nipples heretofore employed, which in most cases, provide too easy a flow of milk. This ease of nursing creates a sucking urge in the child which stimulates the child to suck his thumb or finger, blankets, or other objects, which in itself, if continued over a length of time contributes to jaw malformation and severe malocclusion problems.

Another, and probably one of the most importantcauses of malocclusion is the abnormal swallowing which is induced by the type of nursing nipples heretofore avail-' able. In these nipples, the milk flows so freely and easily that the child does not really have to suck, as the milk flows too rapidly. Most children cannot handle this fast flow of milk, and therefore choke or gag as it flows out of the corners of the mouth, or causes regurgitation of the excess. A certain percentage of these children however learn to thrust their tongues forwardly, keeping the tongue in a forward position when they suck and swallow. By this tendency of maintaining the tongue in a forward position between the gum pads, the children become abnormal or reverse swallowers, and tend to develop lifelong improper swallowing habits which cannot be corrected without a substantial amount of retraining. This type of improper swallowing causes some of the most severe types of malocclusion; especially the so-called open bite cases, due to tongue pressure. Another severe type of malocclusion due to abnormal swallowing is the class 3 malocclusion, where there is a complete collapse of the maxilla due to the absence of tongue pressure against the palate.

The nipple of the present invention was conceived primarily to prevent the formation of abnormal swallowing habits, said abnormal habits being recognized as the most serious source tending to produce malocclusions, and which are responsible for those difficulties which are most incorrigible.

.The act of deglution, or swallowing, is performed by. the individual approximataely twice a minute while the individual is awake, and approximately once per minute while the individual is asleep, or approximately 2000 times in a twenty-four hour period. Thus, it will be seen that the incorrect tongue positioning habit becomes quite entrenched, namely, the abnormal positioning of the tongue between the front teeth or through the gum pads established when nursing, so that the teeth will be disturbed in their orientation. Once a child has established this abnormal tongue positioning, due to the easy flow of the milk provided by an improper nipple, the child becomes an abnormal swallower for life, unless retrained. Many of such cases have a severe open bite which is untreatable later in life, and which may not be subject to correction without the previous correction of the abnormal swallowing habit.

There are some twenty muscles used in swallowing, and the speed of swallowing is between and ,5 of a second. 'It will be apparent that it is necessary for a child to keep his tongue between his teeth, namely, in an improper position, in order to keep from choking, on ac count of the easy flow of milk provided by the nipples previously employed, said flow being faster than the child can swallow. The nipple of the present invention is designed to prevent this tendency, so that the child is re quired to suck; also the nipple is anatomically correct, and is shaped so that it will fit in the childs mouth in" such a manner that he can grasp it as he would as if nursing naturally at the breast.

The nipple of the present invention is also so designed that there is a large surface for the child to place his mouth and lips, and part of his check against, thus forming a seal so that he does not swallow any air. This in itself will tend to prevent colic, heretofore quite common because of improper bottle feeding, and the nipple of the present invention also induces the child to develop his mandible or lower jaw, which is usually in a retruded position at birth. It should be noted that the retruded position of the lower jaw is anatomically correct in a newborn child, since this condition is necessary so that the child may nurse at the breast.

The nipple of the present invention is designed to force the child to project his lower jaw forwardly in the same manner as would be required when nursing naturally. In this manner the lower jaw of the child is properly developed by inducing the child to thrust his lower jaw forwardly. As will be presently explained, the nipple is formed at its lower portion with a concavity adjacent the base of the nipple into which the child is induced to fit his lower jaw. The upper portion of the nipple is more protrusive, and the childs upper lip is forced against same, which forces the child to project his lower jaw forwardly. The nipple also is provided with lateral ridge means running from side to side thereof which acts as a seal on the corners of the childs mouth so that the child does not swallow any air.

As previously mentioned, the nipple of the present invention is intended to prevent orthodontic deformities and to provide an even -fiow of milk without any spilling, without regurgitation, and without any swallowing of air by the child while nursing. The intermittent sucking and swallowing actions induced by the nipple of the present invention will prevent the formation of abnormal swallowing habits, and will thus eliminate one of the largest causes of malocclusion.

As will be further pointed out the nipple of the present invention is designed so that it will fit on a conventional nursing bottle and will be clampingly secured thereto by the use of a conventional clamping ring threadedly engaged on the bottle.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improved bottle nursing nipple constructed in accordance with the present invention. The nipple 11 is molded of rubber or similar resilient deformable material and comprises an enlarged base portion 13 of substantial thickness and rigidity, integrally formed with a forwardly projecting teat portion 12 provided with one or more flow apertures 14 at its end.

As shown at 16, the base member 13 is concave adjacent its junction with the bottom of the teat member 12, defining a receiving recess against which a child may place his lower lip and part of his chin. As above mentioned, the childs chin is ordinarily in a retruded position at first, and the provision of the concave recess-defining junction 16 induces the child to project his jaw forwardly in grasping the nipple with his mouth in order to obtain a complete seal.

As shown at 17, the upper portion of the base member 13 is horizontally convex adjacent its junction with the top of the teat member 12 and is spaced forwardly a substantial distance from the concave recess-defining bottom junction portion 16, the protrusion defined by the convex portion 17 receiving the childs upper lip. The elements 16 and 17 are contoured to form a seal for the childs face, so that when the child puts the nipple in its mouth, between his gum pads, to suck and receive his milk, his face forms a substantially perfect seal with the lower jaw positioned forwardly against the concave portion 16 and with his upper lip pressed against the convex surface 17, so that the child not only has to suck but also has to apply pressure, producing substantially the same physiological action as where the child is nursing naturally at the breast. When a child nurses naturally at the breast he grasps the teat between his gum pads and sucks, simultaneously pressing his face up against the breast to squeeze and suck the milk out. This same action is provided because of the configuration of the nipple 11.

The wall of the teat member 12 is relatively thin adjacent the base member 13, which allows the nursing child to stretch or lengthen the teat portion of the nipple, providing an action similar to that which occurs in actual nursing, namely, causes an extension in length of the teat member similar to the extension of the mothers teat when a child nurses.

This feature has heretofore not been provided in the nipples of the prior art.

As shown at 18, the top wall of the teat member 12 is of substantial thickness, is upwardly convex, and projects upwardly to simulate the natural configuration of a human teat during normal nursing. The relatively stiff convex portion 18 fits up against the palate or roof of the childs mouth in the same manner as it would with the child nursing normally at the breast. It has been established that in normal nursing, the child sucks on the teat, causing the teat to change shape by the pressure of the tongue, lips and face against the breast, causing the teat to be elongated and enlarged upwardly to provide substantially the contour of the nipple 11 described herein.

The teat member 12 is provided with a relatively flat bottom 19 which may be slightly convex, as illustrated. By the provision of this relatively fiat configuration for the bottom of the teat member 12, clearance is provided in the lower part of the childs mouth so that the child may press his tongue thereagainst in a normal fashion when swallowing. At the same time, clearance is provided so that when the child suck he can place his tongue in a backward position for swallowing.

As previously mentioned, one or more holes 14 may be provided in the forward end of the teat member 12. For a very young child in which the sucking urge may be relatively light, two holes 14 may be provided at the forward end of the teat member 12 so that the flow of milk will be regulated in accordance with the relatively light sucking urge of the child. As the child becomes older, a nipple may be employed which is provided with only one hole 14 in the forward end of the teat portion 12 thereof so that the child is required to use a stronger sucking eflfort in order to receive the same amount of milk previously received with a nipple having two holes.

The base portion 13 is relatively thick and stiff and is substantially larger in diameter than the base portions of nipples heretofore employed, to provide more sealing area for the childs face and lips, and to enable a better seal to be formed so as to avoid swallowing air. The nipple of the present invention is preferably used with a bottle, such as the No-Vac Nurser, or any similar bottle where the air is introduced through the bottom of the bottle rather than from the top end thereof. When the nipple of the present invention is used with such a bottle, the child is provided with a steady flow of milk, without swallowing any air, whereby colic is avoided. This arrangement also assists a child in breathing, as he can breathe while sucking. As is well known, in the normal. function of swallowing, respiration stops for the period of swallowing, which may be between A; and of a second. By providing a flow of the milk by the pressure of a childs face up against the bulbous part of the nipple, namely, the relatively stiff thickened base portion 13, with the correct anatomical and morphological contour above described, the child is allowed to suck and press, and then to swallow and shut off the supply of milk, so that he may breathe normally and does not receive a mixture of milk and air, with consequent regurgitation of milk or choking because of receiving too large a flow of milk without being able to shut oh the source of supply.

The base portion 13 is formed at opposite sides of the teat member 12 with the laterally extending ridges 20, 20 adapted to fit against the childs face as a child urges his face against the nipple with the teat portion 12 in his mouth. The ridges 20, 20 serve to provide a closer seal under these conditions, and also serve to divide the upper part of the nipple from the lower part thereof, namely, the relatively convex upper portion 17 from the substantially concave, forwardly spaced portion 16. As shown in FIGURE 5, by the provision of the relatively flat bottom portion 1% the teat member 12 may be received in the childs mouth with the provision of ample clearance for the tongue. As above mentioned, the configuration shown in FIGURE 5 is substantially identical with the actual teat configuration produced in normal breast nursing, wherein the teat is extended to several times its normal length and is flattened out at its base, while being deformed upwardly to fit against the roof of the childs mouth.

The nipple is arranged so that it will not be collapsed by the pressure exerted on the teat member 12 by the sucking action and compression between the gum pads of the child. Thus, the walls of the teat portion 12 are of sufficient thickness so that the teat portion cannot be collapsed to shut off the supply of milk while the child is sucking, while being of substantially restricted size as shown at 22 in FIGURE 4, so that the flow of milk will be somewhat retarded at the neck portion of the teat member. As will be further apparent from FIGURE 2, the teat portion is substantially flattened horizontally so that it is much wider than it is thick.

The base member 13 is integrally for-med with an annular sealing flange 24 adapted to be engaged against the rim of a nursing bottle 25 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5 and adapted to be clamped against said rim by a conventional threaded clamping ring 26 threadedly engageable on neck 25. Thus, an annular groove 27 is provided between the flange 24 and the main portion of base 13, said groove receiving the inturned clamping portion 28 of ring 26.

It will be noted from FIGURE 5 that the teat portion 12 may be grasped by the child in a substantially natural manner while inducing the child to project his lower jaw forwardly, as above described. The contour of the teat member 12 is therefore such that clearance is provided forwardly and below the same, enabling the child to create a correct vacuum for normal swallowing without the mixture of air, said vacuum being created in the front portion of the childs mouth. The creation of such a vacuum is proper in normal swallowing. Subsequent to swallowing, a vacuum is produced in the mouth which also helps in drawing milk into the mouth.

When the nipple is employed with a suitable nursing bottle, such as the No-Vac Nurser above mentioned, or a similar type of bottle, it will help to maintain a steady flow of milk when the child sucks. When the child stops sucking, the source of supply will stop, allowing the child to swallow normally.

The nipple 11 is relatively small in its internal and external contour, so that it is easy to keep clean. It will be further noted that the base portion of the nipple is relatively thick and rigid so that when it is screwed and tightened in place on the rim of a nursing bottle 25, it cannot be readily pulled off the bottle, and thus removal of the nipple from the bottle and spillage of the contents of the bottle are prevented. The rigidity of the relatively thick base portion 13 serves to maintain its shape, even under heavy pressure, so that a child can press thereagainst with a great deal of pressure without substantially altering the shape of the nipple. The thickened top wall 18 of the forward portion of the nipple extends upwardly a substantial amount and is contoured to fit naturally against the concavity of a childs palate or the roof of his mouth, up against the back of the childs gum pads. Because of its substantial thickness,

the upper wall portion 18 is relatively rigid and cannot be easily distorted. Thus, the teat portion of the nipple is relatively resistant to compression and cannot be collapsed during nursing periods.

The nipple is preferably molded by a casting process so that it will have sufficient wall thickness to be resistant to collapsing and to maintain its shape, as well as maintaining the size of the discharge openings 14 thereof constant and maintaining constant the area of the restriction 22 in the neck portion of the teat member.

While a specific embodiment of an improved bottle nursing nipple has been disclosed in the foregoing de-. scription, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as definedby the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A nursing nipple comprising an enlarged base member of substantial thickness and rigidity adapted to be connected to a nursing bottle and a forwardly projecting teat member formed integrally with said base member substantially in axial alignment therewith and having a flow aperture at its end, the base member being concave adjacent its junction with the bottom of said teat member and being convex adjacent its junction with the top of said teat member and for a substantial distance radially outwardly therefrom, the convex top portion of said base member being spaced forwardly relative to the concave bottom portion thereof.

2. A nursing nipple comprising an enlarged base member of substantial thickness and rigidity adapted to be connected to a nursing bottle and a forwardly projecting teat member formed integrally with said base member substantially in axial alignment therewith and having a flow aperture at its end, the base member being concave adjacent its junction with the bottom of said teat member and being convex adjacent its junction with the top of said teat member and for a substantial distance radially outwardly therefrom, the convex top portion of said base member being spaced forwardly relative to the concave bottom portion thereof, the top of the teat member having a relatively thick and rigid upwardly projecting forward portion.

3. A nursing nipple comprising a resilient deformable body having an enlarged base member of substantial thickness and rigidity adapted to be connected to a nursing bottle and a. forwardly projecting teat member formed integrally with said base member substantially in axial alignment therewith and having a flow aperture at its end, the base member being concave and relatively thin adjacent its junction with the bottom of said teat member and being convex adjacent to its junction with the top of said teat member and for a substantial distance radially outwardly therefrom, the convex top portion of said base member being spaced forwardly of the concave bottom portion thereof, the bottom of said teat member being relatively flat and the top of the teat member having a relatively thick and rigid upwardly projecting forward portion to simulate the natural configuration of a human teat during nursing.

4. A nursing nipple comprising a resilient deformable body having an enlarged base member of substantial thickness .and rigidity adapted to be connected to a nursing bottle and a forwardly projecting teat member formed integrally with said base member substantially in axial alignment therewith and having a flow aperture at its ends, the base member being concave and relatively thin adjacent its junction with the bottom of said teat member and being convex adjacent to its junction with the top of said teat member and for a substantial distance radially outwardly therefrom, the convex top portion of said base member being spaced forwardly of the concave bottom portion thereof, the bottom of said teat member being relatively flat and the top of the teat member having a relatively thick and rigid upwardly projecting forward portion to simulate the natural configuration of a human teat during nursing, and horizontal sealing ridges on said base member on opposite sides of said teat member.

5. A nursing nipple comprising an enlarged base member of substantial thickness and rigidity adapted to be connected to a nursing bottle and a forwardly projecting teat member formed integrally with said base member substantially in axial alignment therewith and having a flow aperture at its end, the base member being concave and relatively thin adjacent its junction with the bottom of said teat member and being convex adjacent its junction with the top of said teat member and for a substantial distance radially outwardly therefrom, the convex top portion of said base member being spaced forwardly relative to the concave bottom portion thereof, the bottom of said teat member being relatively flat and the top of the teat member having a relatively thick and rigid upwardly projecting forward portion to simulate the natural configuration of a human teat during nursing, and horizontal sealing ridges on said base member on opposite sides of said teat member, the interior of said teat member being horizontally flattened in shape to restrict flow therethrough.

6. A nursing nipple comprising 'a resilient deformable body having an enlarged base emmber of substantial thickness and rigidity adapted to be connected to a nursing bottle and a forwardly projecting teat member formed integrally with said base member substantially in axial alignment therewith and having a flow aperture at its end, the base member being concave and relatively thin adjacent its junction with the bottom of said teat member and being convex adjacent to its junction with the top of said teat member and for a substantial distance radially outwardly therefrom, the convex top portion of said base member being spaced forwardly of the concave bottom portion thereof, the bottom of said teat member being relatively fiat and the top of the teat member having a relatively thick and rigid upwardly projecting forward portion to simulate the natural configuration of a human teat during nursing, horizontal sealing ridges on said base member on opposite sides of said teat member, the interior of said teat member being horizontally flattened in shape to restrict flow therethrough, and an annular sealing flange formed integrally on the rear end of said base member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Micrognathia, reprint from American Journal of Diseases of Children, April 1933, vol. 45, pp. 799-806; FIG. 6 relied on. 

1. A NURSING NIPPLE COMPRISING AN ENLARGED BASE MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS AND RIGIDITY ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A NURSING BOTTLE AND A FORWARDLY PROJECTING TEAT MEMBER FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID BASE MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH AND HAVING A FLOW APERTURE AT ITS END, THE BASE MEMBER BEING CONCAVE ADJACENT ITS JUNCTION WITH THE BOTTOM OF SAID TEAT MEMBER AND BEING CONVEX ADJACENT ITS JUNCTION WITH THE TOP OF SAID TEAT MEMBER AND FOR A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE RADIALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, THE CONVEX TOP PORTION OF SAID BASE MEMBER BEING SPACED FORWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE CONCAVE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF. 